Post by colinburgess on Oct 7, 2008 17:14:46 GMT

Good evening gentlemen and any lady modellers who might be listening in. This is my first post on the Rotor Blades forum. I'm the guy behind the ROTOTcraft helo conversions but that is not my point of this thread.I worked on Wessex HU Mk5's in the FAA on 845, 846 and 847 squadrons and the type has been a passion from the early days when Frog produced their fine little kit of the HAS Mk1. Then came the Matchbox kit..... and then the Italeri and Revell.I've been working on a couple of coversion/correction kits for the Itareli/Revell kits, I was happilly as I'm sure those of you who have made either of these kits were. Working away in the belief that the kit was accurate. Well the 4+ book (the best Wessex reference) threw a curved ball a couple of weeks ago and it would appear that the fuselage is 5mm short! If up to now you have been happy with the kit it probably hasn't bothered you and until I descovered the fact it didn't bother me.The question is are the rest of you bothered by the fact and willing to accept the inaccuracy? Or are you like me wanting to correct the problem?If you stick the short next to the correct it is noticable, so I'm working on a correction and my question is would any of you Wessex modellers be interested in new fuselage halves.That is before I go ahead and make master for castings.Let me know, regards Colin Burgess

Post by martinhale on Oct 7, 2008 18:41:07 GMT

I would personally think a new fuselage would be overkill and that most modellers would either live with the difference or do the correction themselves. If I were doing a HU5 I would probably seek out the old Matchbox kit as I feel that it as better shape wise.

Post by crabs13 on Oct 7, 2008 21:07:43 GMT

Hi Collin,

The Italeri / Revell Wessex is one of my fave kits, and having built 4 and still having about 6 in the stash I can say for me that it is Ok.I have the 4+ book which I use as a reference but have never put parts to plans. As I am not a rivet counter I feel that it catches the look of the Wessex well, and as a friend and well known decal manufacturer said to me, "If it says Spitfire on the box, and when built looks like a Spitfire then thats fine, but if it says Spitfire, and when built looks like a Tornado then you have a problem".So for me it will do as it is, the price will probably put modelers off as the kit is only about £7 so the price of the new fuselage halves will have to be less than that.I personaly build models for the different markings and colours, so for me it would be a no, but I would be interested in weapons, fuel tanks sonar gear and undersurface details.If possible would you consider fuselage halves for the Whirlwind so that I dont need to use the resin nose and filler plate.

Post by colinburgess on Jan 2, 2009 9:14:07 GMT

Hi Steve, Many thanks for your comments re the Wessex, I undestand what you're saying re purchasing a Spitfire...... It was just that as I had worked on them back in the '60's it looked wrong too bunched up (but it's taken me a long time to suss it out).Yes I can understand a lot of modellers will take it at face value. I've skoffed at guy's at out club who have said the tail/fuselage lenght of a certain Me 109 kit is 1.5 mm too short. That I could live with because it doesn't make it look out of proportin but the 5mm on the Wessex, I can't live with.Maybe I'm fortunate in that as of yet I haven't got a Wessex of any type in my collection, just a couple where I have stuck the bits from my conversion kits onto to show the parts off.

Post by gannetmod on Jun 12, 2013 12:25:24 GMT

Hi Colin,Much as I love the Wessex - and have built a few - I don't think I would want to pay for new fuselage halves for the sake of a 5mm discrepancy. And is that discrepancy in the kit or the 4+ drawings, or a bit of both? I agree with Steve's Spitfire comments. It would be nice to have some accurate weapons and extra detail parts thoughRegards, Richard

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